Manufacture of fabrics



June 23, 1931 J, MORTON 1,811,355

MANUFACTURE OF FABRICS Filed 001. 28, 1950 Patented June 23, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT orr ce MANUFACTURE or FABRICS Application filed. October 28, 1980, Serial No. 491,745, and in Great Britain November 21, 1929.

This invention relates to a method of and means for supplying lengths of yarn and the like (such as lengths of thread or even ,of knitted or cut lengths of chenille, and

v hereinafter referred to simply as yarn) in parallel V formation for incorporation into fabrics while being manufactured.

The object of the invention is to provide an'improved method and means as aforesaid, whereby it will be possible to supply the requisite lengths of yarns more speedily, cheaply and conveniently than was possible heretofore. V

According to the invention, the improved method consists in initially binding the lengths of yarn in parallel formation by means of parallel chains of loops formed from yarn by use of knitting or sewing needles and moving the looped yarn chains in unison past means for engaging said lengths, and withdrawing them in succession from said chains so that they can be in corporated in the fabric. being produced. The lengths of yarn pass through equispaced loops of the chains the whole taking the form of a ladder, the sides of which are represented by the chains and the rungs of which are represented by the lengths of yarn. Where the lengths of yarn conveyed by 'the chains have to be short, i. e.'when re quired for incorporation as pile tufts in tufted fabrics, comparatively great lengths of yarn are bound by means of pairs of parallel looped yarn chains so as to form a preparatory fabric, then these len ths are cutbetween said pairs of chains so as to divide the fabric into narrow ladders, and a the ladders are each moved past means for engaging the short cut lengths or tufts and withdrawing them in succession from the respective pairs of chains.

'The means for moving, or feeding, the ladder to the engaging and withdrawing means above mentioned preferably comprises two spaced feed-wheels the peripheries of which are grooved to receive the chains and notched 0r toothed to provide recesses for engaging with the lengths of yarn. The notches are pitched so that they register precisely with the lengths of yarn, and guide means are provided to lead the ladder properly to the wheels.

In order that the invention can be clearly understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in whichz- Fig. l is an elevation of means for feeding the ladder to gripping means.

Fig. 2 is an elevation at right angles to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of sewing mechanism for producing the chains as part of a preparatory fabric.

Fig. 4 is a view of a piece of preparatory fabric such as could be produced by the sewing mechanism hereinafter described with reference to Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the parts therein shown comprise a pair of feed-wheels 5,

a shaft 6 on which the wheels are mounted anda pair of fixed ploughs of which only one is shown, being denoted by 7. Each wheel 5 comprises two peripheral flanges which are spaced apart to form an annular groove 8 and which are notched to provide recesses 9. The ploughs 7 have concave faces 10 which enter the annular grooves 8 in the respective wheels 5.

The feed-wheels are associated with a pair of grippers each comprising an arcuate arm 11 and a hooked finger l2, fitting through the arm and movable relatively thereto in such a manner that it can be brought resiliently against the free end thereof, and thereby seize a length of yarn supplied to it. The grippers can be of the kind described in the co-pending patent specification filed of even date herewith in which specification grippers are described as incorporated in a gripper loom for the purpose of introducing tufts to, and knotting them in, the fab-- rics woven by the loom. In that event, there would be as many feed-wheels as grippers, and the shaft 6 would be arranged par ilel to the gripper-carrying shaft. Further, the 9 feed-wheels would be arranged to travel across the loom at the rear of the grippers, in unison therewith, as the grippers were moved across the fabric to introduce and bind the tufts successively and side-by-side 1 into the fabric,so thatthe feed-wheels would always maintain the same relationship to the grippers.

The tufts, which consist of short lengths L of yarn, are shown bound to looped yarn chains C which are led around the grooves 8 in such a manner that the tufts register with the recesses 9, accurate registration being on sured by the ploughs 7, the surfaces 10 of which guide and press the tufts into the recesses. r

In the operation of the means above de' scribed, the shaft 6 and feed-wheels 5 thereon are rotated intermittently, so as to bring the lengths'L one at a time into a position in which they can be seized and withdrawn by the grippers. The ladder constituted by the chains C and lengths L mustbe formed with great accuracy, and ,tothis end, the chains can be knitted or sewn-by means of needles such as described in my concurrent patent specification numbered 490281 the lengths being supplied to the needles in any suitable .manner.

Where ladders have to be formed the rungs of Which are represented by short lengths or tufts intended for ultimate incorporation as pilein fabrics such as oriental carpets, a large number of parallel chains may be initially knitted'or sewn to bindto-- gether comparatively great lengths of yarn into the form of a broad preparatory fabric. Sewing mechanism such as described in my aforesaid specification numbered 490,281 can be readily adapted was to produce the requisite preparatory fabric. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, the sewing needles 20 V are arranged in pairs, and looper points 2 1,

with which theneedles cooperate are like- 7 wise arranged, the needles or points con- ,aforesaid specification No. {90,281.

shown, the fabric consistsofpairs of chains stituting eachpair being spaced more widely apart than ad aCent pairs. The numeral 22 denotes an intermediate retaining member ,down one side of which the fabric passes to a rotating take-up beam (not shown).

The particular manner in which the ing mechanism operates to produce the fabric forms no part of this invent on and -is therefore not described herein.

Fig. 4 illustrates a, fragment of the pre;

paratory fabric which would be produced by sewing mechanism arranged as illustrated in Fig. 3 and operating as described in my C which bind together lengths L of yarn respective pairs of chains, and these ladders merely by way of example, and that modifications can be made withoutdepartingsfrom the scope of the invention.

I claims- 1 v1. ninethod of supplying, to a given position, lengths ofyarn for incorporation'in fabrics during the manufacture thereof, which consists in forming yarns into sideby-side chains of loops, chaining together in parallel formation successivelengths of the yarn to be supplied by introducing them into appropriately spaced loops, and moving said chainspast said. position to permit said lengths of yarn to be withdrawn in succession,

I 2. method of supplying, to ttglVGltlPOSdtion, lengths of yarn for incorporation in fabrics during the manufacture thereof,

which consists in forming yarns into two 7 'side-by-side chains of loops, chaining together in parallel formation successive lengths of the yarn .to be supplied byintroducing them near their ends into. appropriately spaced loops, and moving both of said chains in unisonv past said position to permit said lengths of pile yarn to be with;

drawn in succession from between said chains. 1

3. A method of supplying, to a givenposition, lengths of yarn for incorporation in fabrics during the manufacture thereof, which consists informing yarns into sideby-side chains of loops, chaining together in parallel formation successive lengths of the yarn to be supplied by introducing them into 7 appropriately spaced loops, thereby forming a preparatory fabric, cutting said lengths between selected chains so as tofldi vide the fabric into narrow strips, and mov ing-thecliains'of each strip in unison past said position to permit the cutlengths of yarn to be withdrawn in succession.

4. A method of supplying to the grippers I of a gripper loom tufts'of pile yarnforinextending from pair to pair of chains corporation in fabrics during their manufacture on said loom, which consists in forming yarns into pairs of parallel chains of loops, chaining together in parallel formation successive lengths of pile yarn byintroducing them into appropriately spaced loops, thereby forming a preparatory fabric,

cutting said lengths between selectedchains V yarn chains for said feed wheels so as to move said a. gripper loom tufts so as to divide the fabric into ladders, each ladder being composed of two side chains and transverse tufts of pile yarn, and mov ing the chains of each ladder in unison past said grippers to permit said tufts to be withdrawn in succession thereby.

5. A device for supplying to a given position lengths of yarn conveyed by looped yarn chains for incorporation in fabrics during the manufacture thereof, said device comprising spaced feed members, tracks on said members to receive said chains, recesses on said members to receive said lengths, and means for moving said feed members so as to move said chains past the given position.

6. A device for supplying to a given position lengths of yarn conveyed by looped incorporation in fabrics during the manufacture thereof, said device comprising spaced feed Wheels, annular tracks on said wheels to receive said chains, flanges on said wheels adjacent said tracks, equi-spaced' recesses on said flanges to receive said lengths, and meanse for rotating chains past the given position.

7. A device for supplying to grippers of of pile yarn conveyed by a pair of looped yarn chains for incorporation in fabrics during weaving thereof on said loom, said device comprising a pair of spaced feed wheels, annular tracks on said Wheels to receive said chains, flanges on said wheels adjacent said tracks, equispaced recesses on said flanges to receive said tufts, and means for rotating both said feed wheels in unison so as to move said pair of chains past the said grippers to enable the tufts to be withdrawn thereby from between the chains.

8. A device for supplying to a given position lengths of yarn conveyed by looped yarn chains for incorporation in fabrics during the manufacture thereof, said device comprising spaced feed members, tracks on said members to receive said chains, recesses on said members to receive said lengths, guide means adapted to lead the chains properly on said tracks with the lengths of yarn in register with the recesses, and means for moving said feed members so as to move said chains past the given position.

9. A device for supplying to a given position lengths of yarn conveyed by looped yarn chains for incorporation in fabrics during the manufacture thereof, said device comprising spaced feed wheels, annular tracks on said wheels to receive said chains, flanges on said wheels adjacent said tracks, equi-spaced recesses on sald flanges to receive said lengths, guide means adapted to lead the chains properly on said tracks with the lengths of yarn in register with the .v. recesses, and means for rotating said feed Wheels so as to move said chains past the given position.

10. A device for supplying to grippers of a gripper loom tufts of pile yarn conveyed by a pair of looped yarn chains for incorporation in fabrics during weaving thereof on said loom, said of spaced feed wheels, annular tracks on said Wheels to receive said chains, flanges on said wheels adjacent said tracks, equi-spaced recesses, on said flanges to receive said tufts, a pair of guide members to lead the chains properly on said tracks with the tufts of pile yarn in register with the recesses, and means for rotating both said feed Wheels in unison so as to move said pair of chains past the said grippers to enable the tufts to be Withdrawn thereby from between the chains.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES MORTON.

device comprising a pair 

